In an effort to develop deeper ties with San Diego’s startup community, the University of San Diego opened a Small Business Development Center on Monday.

The center is designed to attract existing technology upstarts in the area that want to tap the university’s resources and student body to grow their young companies. USD will offer consulting services, help facilitate fundraising and provide access to faculty members at no cost to participating companies.

“We want to be co-producers of new wealth,” said Jaime Alonso Gómez, dean of the USD School of Business.

The center is a joint effort of four USD schools: School of Business; Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies; Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering; and Division of Professional and Continuing Education. The program is not designed to be an incubator of pre-launch startups, nor will the university take an equity stake in any of the participating small businesses.

Currently, the university’s Small Business Development Center consists of an on-campus office for a yet-to-be-hired director and his or her assistant, as the center is primarily designed for one-on-one interactions, Gómez said.

The Small Business Development Center at USD is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The university expects to begin accepting applications next week.

The new, campus-based center joins around 1,000 other Small Business Development Centers in the U.S. The San Diego and Imperial County network says its client companies raised $24.4 million in funding and created 268 jobs in 2016.

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Hundreds of San Diego hotel workers marched in downtown San Diego to pressure Marriott hotels to improve pay and working conditions for low wage workers.

Hundreds of San Diego hotel workers marched in downtown San Diego to pressure Marriott hotels to improve pay and working conditions for low wage workers.

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Hundreds of San Diego hotel workers marched in downtown San Diego to pressure Marriott hotels to improve pay and working conditions for low wage workers.

Hundreds of San Diego hotel workers marched in downtown San Diego to pressure Marriott hotels to improve pay and working conditions for low wage workers.

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The Supreme Court on Monday struck down a federal law that bars gambling on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states, giving states the go-ahead to legalize betting on sports.

The Supreme Court on Monday struck down a federal law that bars gambling on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states, giving states the go-ahead to legalize betting on sports.

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Viasat is a global communications company working to connect the unconnected throughout the world. As part of our mission, we're bringing low-cost, high-speed satellite internet to rural towns throughout Mexico. We believe that everyone, everywhere deserves the opportunity to add their voice to the global conversation. (Courtesy of Viasat)

Viasat is a global communications company working to connect the unconnected throughout the world. As part of our mission, we're bringing low-cost, high-speed satellite internet to rural towns throughout Mexico. We believe that everyone, everywhere deserves the opportunity to add their voice to the global conversation. (Courtesy of Viasat)

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San Diego has agreed to sell 16 lots in Nestor for $1 each, in the pursuit of affordable housing. The nonprofit San Diego Community Land Trust plans to build three and four-bedroom homes there for people with moderate incomes. That means a family of five with an income of up to $102,750.

San Diego has agreed to sell 16 lots in Nestor for $1 each, in the pursuit of affordable housing. The nonprofit San Diego Community Land Trust plans to build three and four-bedroom homes there for people with moderate incomes. That means a family of five with an income of up to $102,750.

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Toys R Us still sells about 20% of the toys bought in the U.S., according to an analyst at Jefferies LLC.

Toys R Us still sells about 20% of the toys bought in the U.S., according to an analyst at Jefferies LLC.